Tone it down: Vagal nerve activity is associated with pro-inflammatory and anti-viral factors in breast cancer - An exploratory study.

In response to adverse social-environmental conditions, leukocytes gene expression profile is altered in a pattern recognized as the conserved transcriptional response to adversity (CTRA). This entails the up-regulated expression of pro-inflammatory genes and down-regulated expression of genes involved in type-I interferon (IFN) related anti-viral immunity. In contrast, vagal nerve activity is recognized as a significant anti-inflammatory modulator.